Surface grinder



Des. 14, w43.

`J. W. PARKER SURFACE GRINDER Filed Nov. 19. 1945 INVENTOR. JZ/f X4( Erie/1 BY l 'r/fwe,

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Patented Dec. 14, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT oFF-ICE:

SURFACE GRINDER John W. Parker, Grosse Pointe, Mich. Application November 19, 1945,v Serial No. 629,550 1 Claim.l (Cl. 51-231) direction normal to the direction of travel of the saddle. Manually operated actuator means are provided for separately actuating both the saddle and Work table. These actuators are usually equipped with hand wheels which are disposed at the front of th-e machine where they are readily accessible for operation.

During setting up operations a piece of work is mounted on the table and the saddle is adjusted to properly position the Work with respect to the grinding wheel by manually rotating one of the hand wheels. In the case of conventional surface grinders the operator must thereafter exercise extreme care to avoid striking lor bumping the hand wheel or other adjustable parts of the machine since in doing so he may easily shift the table with the saddle and move the workpiece from its intended position. In practice, a workpiece that must be held to a ne tolerance easily can b-e ruined by an inadvertent shifting of the saddle from its adjusted position by even the slightest amount. v

An important object of the invention therefore is to provide a surface grinding machine that is equipped with means for locking the saddle in the adjusted position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a saddle locking means for surface grinding machines that can be engaged without disturbing thedelicately adjusted saddle.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a locking means of the above mentioned character that when engaged will not subject either the base or the saddle to stresses which might disturb adjustment of the saddle.

Yet another object of thekinvention is to provide a locking means f the above mentioned character that is simple in construction, -eicient in operation and inexpensive to manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a locking means of the above mentioned character that can be easily applied to conventional surface grinding machines.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification and wherein like numerals are employed to designate like partsA throughout the same. f

Fig. l is a front elevation of a surface grinding machine embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentarywertical sectional vieW taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,'

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional View taken on the line of`4-l-4 of Fig. 1, and f Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken on the line of 5-5 of Fig. 4.

For a more detailed description of the inven-y tion reference is had to the accompanying drawings wherein the numeral IEI designates the base for slidably supporting a saddle I2. Adjacent each side thereof the saddle I2 is provided with downwardly extending,v substantially V-shaped guides I4 which operate in correspondingly shaped guideways I6 provided in the top surface of base I0. As best shown in Fig. l, the guides I4 and guideways I6 extend from front t-o back so that the saddle I2 moves in a horizontal' plane and is adjustable relative to the operator who normally stands .in front of the machine.

In order to adjust the saddle I2 an actuator is provided which comprises an externally threaded spindle I8 andahandwh'eel`20. As best shown inFig. v2, the spindle I8 is journaled in an Iopening 22 provided in the front wall 24 of the saddle and extends into al horizontahinternally screw-threaded passage 26 provided in an up.- ward extension 28 on the base Iil. The spindle I8 preferably is supported` in opening 22 by a bearing 30 which is capable of sustaining` both radial. andr thrust stresses. Thus, when handwheel 20 is rotated, the spindle .I3 moves axially in passage 26 and slidably. actuates' the saddle I2.

Mounted on the saddle I2 is `a conventional work table 32. Adjacent its rearward edge, the latter is provided with a depending substantially V-shaped guide 34 which extends from left to right and slides in a correspondingly shaped guideway 36 provided in the top surface of the saddle. Depending flanges 38 and 40 on the work table overhang the parallel front and back surfaces of the saddle I2 and assist in retaining and guiding the work table. It will be observed that the Work table also operates in a horizontal plane but in a direction normal or at right angles to the direction of travel of the saddle I2.

In order to adjust the work table 32 on the saddle I2 an actuator is provided which comprises 3 an arbor 42 and a. handwheel 44. The latter is positioned in front of the work table 32 and the arbor 42 extends rearwardly through a sleeve bearing 46 which ts snugly in a horizontal bore or passage 48 provided in the work table. At its rearward end the arbor 42 projects into a groove 50 which extends transversely across the top of the work table 32. The projecting end of the arbor carriesra pinion,y 52 whichimesheslwith-a rack 54'lontheaundei'. surface of tliefwork table.V From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that, when handwheel 44 is rotated, pinion 52 coi-roperates with the rack 54 to slidbaly actuate the Work table 32 in guideway 36.

base I is provided with the usualstandard 56 which supports the vertically* mova'lile grinding wheel 58 in the conventional manner: The grinding wheel 58 is adjusted relative to a work piece/supported. on the work. table 32. by means of. a manually operated handwheel y 6.0L

Attenti-on is. now directed .toFigst .4 and which show the .locking means for holdingth-e. saddleIZ in a selected adjustedposition. In thisconnection, ,it will be observed .thatthe-saddle is hollow to provide-,en inner chamber. or, .cavity 612. which opens.-ontoA the4 flattopsurfaoe of Vthe'base I0.

Disposed within the:cavity. E2 andin vertically spaced,relation.withfthetopsurface of the base IU is;afiexible..metallicstrp 64.. The strip. ex tends in a direction parallel to the guide I4 and is supported at `its' rearward. andby a spacer 66. Screws 68 extendingV through openings provided in the strip 64 .andspacer 65. and` into tapped holeswprovided inthe basey lsecurely anchor the strip to the base;

Alsddisposedwthin the cavity E2. and. attached to-they sadd1e.l2 by bolts 'Illv is-.a supporting block 12.. As bestvshownin Big5.,.thesupportingblock is.- mounted` directly above the strip `64 and is formed at-each side thereof with flanges 'Hand 16; whichI extendv downwardly in embracing re.- lati'onwiththe strip. A.transversebearing plate 'I8 extendsbelow thestrip and'is.attached tothe flanges 'M and I6 by screws. It willbe observed that plate. 'I8v supports the str-ip. 6.4. and. that it will travel along the. strip duringmovement of the saddle I2. Disposed within a cavity 8| providedin block 'IZ'and above thestrip 641s a vertically and laterally movable clampingmember 82'. The latter is movable into and out of' .engagem-entwith the strip S4'by means .of'an eccentric 8'4 on the-endl ofa shaft 86'. At its. forward end the shaft 185' i's'providedi with a reduced portion 88' which extends through `a hole 94' in the front walll 24 and carriesv an operating handle 90, A suitable bearing. 92A fitted inthe hole 9.4v rotatably supports' the shaft'. At its rearward end theshaft B'I'isyrotat'ably journaledLin. an opening 96 provided in the supp'ort 12'; When handle 98 isrrotated in one direction, the clamping member 82 moves downwardly and presses the strip 64 solidly against th'e bearing plate 'I8 and when handle is rotated in the opposite direction, clamping member 82 is lifted to release the strip. In practice, it has been found that the binding, frictional engagement between strip 64, bearing plate 'I8 and clamping member 82 effectively holds the saddle I2 stationary.

As-suggested, the locking means can lne-.engaged or applied without disturbing the adjustment of saddle I2 by reason of the inherently flexible nature of strip 64. rThe unique character of this strip also prevents any stresses that may be cre- 3 ated by clamping it between plate 'I8 and member 82 from being transmitted either to the base I 0 vor the saddle I2.

Itis to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is t0 be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the size, shape and ar.- rangement of parts may be resortedv towithout departing from the spirit of the invention or-the scope ofthe appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, I-claim:

A surface grinder comprising, in combination, a base; a saddle mounted for sliding movement on said base; a table slidably mounted: onthe saddle for movement in ardirection of right angles tothe direction of travel of said saddle; actuator means for said saddle and said table; and means for holding the saddle in a selected adjusted position, said holding means comprising an inherently flexible metallic strip mounted-on the base and extendingin spaced relation therewith beneath the saddle and parallel to itsdirection of travel, a support attached to the saddle positioned to travel along said strip, an adjustable clamping member carried by the supporty and movable againsttsaid strip to press the latter into binding, frictional'engagement with the support, andA a manuallyrotatable shaft journaled in .the saddle and having an eccentric connection with said clamping member whereby rotation of the shaft moves the clamping member into/an-d-out of `engagement with the strip.

JOHN W. PARKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,362,873 Wessman Nov. 14, 19.44 2387,44() Guellch et al .Oct. 2.34.1945

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date,

5045829 Great Britain Apr. 28, Y1939 

